tolstAngeles
b ’àbhaist dhi fada na b ’fhaide na a’ mhòr-chuid againn a chaitheamh
san t-seòmar aice
’na cuimhne
fuaim sònraichte
ceòlmhor ann an dath bhon tbh aige
rionnag nam fiolmaichean, stoidhle hollywood
mar-tha
tha cus ro
bheag. sajed mohammed air a’ ghiotàr fuaimneach, ach
a cheann nam bruadar dathach
a ’dèanamh cinnteach nach eil mi a’ crochadh
mun cuairt
b’ iad sin na naoimh plàstair sgìth
ach
chrìon iad na diogan aca
a’ sireadh aire sùil
nan ainglean windex.
Translations of this Poem
tolstAngeles le
she used to spend much longer than most of us
in her room
meditating
a special sound
musical in colour from his television set
movie star hollywood-style
already
too much is too
little. sajed mohammed plays the acoustic guitar but
his technicolour dream head
makes sure I’m not hanging
around
they were the tiresome plaster saints
but
they withered their seconds
seeking the gaze
of windex angels.
About this poem
This poem was chosen by Ceitidh Campbell as part of the Scottish Poetry Library’s ‘Champions’ project, a guest curatorship programme to help extend our national reach.
Ceitidh Campbell says, ‘The magical evolving interaction of diverse cultures makes us who we are as society. We have been forced to take a deeper look at ourselves through the transparency and unpredictability of lockdown. Conflict and harmony, morals and reactions. Do we hold the right people up as role models? I love the multi-layered influences behind this piece that draw on current reflections of our history and future.’
